In recent years, an increasing number of AI-generated children’s books have appeared on the market. Through self-publishing platforms, amongst other channels, AI-generated books can be produced quickly and marketed via the major retail platforms. This appears to be a lucrative venture. How should and can publishers and authors deal with this? What forms of AI use are tolerated or even encouraged? What opportunities does the use of AI offer when it comes to writing? How can creative professions be protected?

For readers, AI-generated books are not always easy to distinguish from those written and designed without AI: what sort of texts does AI produce? Should or must books created using AI be labelled as such? If so, at what level of AI involvement? Do readers – including children, parents, teachers and other educators – need new knowledge and skills to recognise AI-generated texts?

The academic presentations and the discussion with well-known artists and experts will shed light on the rapid developments in AI-supported production processes and, in particular, explore how ‘good’ children’s books can thrive in this environment.

Thursday, 19 November 2026

BIS Hall, Oldenburg University Library

Lectures 2.00–4.00 pm

• Prof. Dr Gerhard Lauer: Is there a benefit to children’s books in using machines?
• Dr Larissa Jagdschian: ‘What I expect from children’s books...’ – Aesthetics of reception: the implications of AI-generated children’s books for German lessons
• PD Dr Angela Gencarelli: Digital children’s and young adult literature in the age of generative AI: from bedtime story apps to classic adventure games

Panel discussion 6–8 pm

• Sybille Hein (illustrator/author)
• Barbara Müller (Managing Director of avj – Arbeitsgemeinschaft von Jugendbuchverlagen e.V.)
• Ralf Schweikart (literary critic/judge)
• Elena Ziegler (literary scholar/artist)

Poster exhibition 2 pm–8 pm

Posters by students from the seminar ‘Children’s and Young Adult Literature and the Topic of “Artificial Intelligence” (AI)’ (Summer Semester 2026) will be on display in the BIS Hall, serving to stimulate discussion and further exploration of the topic.

No prior registration is required. Anyone interested is warmly welcome.

Organised by: Dr Ella Margaretha Karnatz, Prof. Dr Thomas Boyken